QPR is a suicide prevention training students can take on a Saturday morning at BYU-Idaho.
QPR stands for question, persuade, and refer.
Ali Valdez is a communication major at BYU-Idaho who is taking this practicum class and is helping to try to spread awareness of this training to the students at BYU-Idaho.
“It just basically gives people the skills, confidence and understanding on how to become an active safe connection to those who are going through those thoughts of suicide. Just to be a connection, to be a friend,” said Valdez.
Andra Hansen is the teacher who does the hour and a half long trainings.
Valdez says the trainings can be shorter, but with all the information they share, the hour and half is used well.
“A lot of it is just talking about how you can be there for that person, what kind of resources you need, and the signs that you are looking for. What is the stigma of suicide and what usually people are thinking of and how we can get over that stigma,” Valdez said
Valdez highly recommends everyone take the training because it is just a good skill to have. She says having the resources to help someone is something she is very passionate about.
“I actually served my mission in Rexburg, Idaho, and in a month’s span, three people had committed suicide,” said Valdez. “I think that we can prevent it by having these tools and skills that Andra teaches in the QPR suicide prevention. And I think that it’s just a good thing to put on your resume and a good thing to know. I think people should sacrifice the hour and a half time that you have just to take this training.”
The next training is Saturday, June 11 starting at 8 a.m. with sessions on June 18 and July 7 as well.
You can click the link here to sign-up for the trainings.